𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 - 𝙝.𝙥. ⚯͛

𝗶𝗶𝗶 - 𝖻𝖾𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗀𝗈𝗅𝖽𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗋𝗂𝗈

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

╰┈➤ Elsie's POV

The next morning Elsie woke up early, anxious to begin her first official day of classes at Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry. It felt a bit weird joining as a new student a couple months into the school year, but she felt confident that she was going to have a good time.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, Elsie pulled out the golden locket that had been around her neck, hidden under her pajama top. She rubbed the locket gently between her thumb and index finger and stared at it.

"I miss you so much," Elsie whispered under her breath.

She squeezed the pendant to her chest and closed her eyes, tucking it back under her pajama top just as Hermione walked toward her with a big smile on her face.

"Are you excited for today?" Hermione asked, sitting down next to Elsie.

Hermione had just come out of the bathroom; she was already dressed in her robes and her bushy hair had been combed out.

"I am. A bit nervous— but excited. At least I'm not the only new student here, I'm just one of seven new students."

Hermione smiled, and Elsie noticed how her front teeth were slightly oversized. Elsie thought she was unconventionally beautiful.

"Well, you better get ready or we'll be late for breakfast!" Hermione ushered Elsie to get up and get dressed.

The two girls walked side by side down the spiral staircase, through the portrait in the wall, down the moving stairs, and through the corridors leading to the Great Hall. They ran into a boy named Neville Longbottom on the way downstairs, and Hermione introduced him to Elsie.

"Nice to meet you Elsie," said Neville, holding out a clammy hand for her to shake. A small brown toad sat on his shoulder and Elsie looked at it with interest.

"This is Trevor," Neville said cheerfully, giving the toad a quick pat on its head.

A couple of students turned their heads toward Elsie as she walked into the Great Hall between Hermione and Neville. Some whispered to their friends and others simply stared at the new Gryffindor girl. Elsie attempted to avoid their stares as she looked around the Great Hall, taking in all of its wonders. It was her first time seeing the hall in broad daylight— it was breathtaking. The glass windows glistened in the morning sun, and Elsie could see it raining outside. Bright, crystal chandeliers adorned the ceilings and there were hundreds of floating candles above them.

Students were already gathered at the tables, enjoying a large breakfast before their first classes. Neville said goodbye to Elsie and Hermione and went to sit down with some Gryffindor boys whom Elsie did not know.

"Hey guys," Hermione said as she slid into a seat next to a boy with bright red hair and freckles. She made room for Elsie to sit down next to her.

The boy looked like a younger version of the prefect Elsie met in the common room last night; surely they were brothers.

Elsie noticed the red-haired boy looking curiously at her as he shoved a spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth.

Opposite him sat a boy with bright green eyes, round spectacles, and jet-black hair that stuck up wildly on the sides. The boy stared at her with wide eyes, his mouth slightly open. Beneath a tuft of black hair, Elsie noticed a lightning-bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. Elsie recognized him immediately as Harry Potter— the boy who defeated You-Know-Who.

"This is Elisabeth—Elsie—Goldleaf," Hermione said, looking at Elsie. "Remember her from the transfer-student ceremony last night? She's the new Gryffindor in our year."